Hot line by-pass jumper



Feb. 17, 1959 F. G. GRAHAM HOT LINE BY-PASS JUMPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Aug. 20, 1956 a w g 5 m 4 ATTORNEY?) Feb. 17, 1959 F. G. GRAHAM 2,874,364

HOT LINE BY-PASS JUMPER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 20, 1956 l INVENTOR ATTORNEYS J Z v United States Patent 2,874,364 HOT LINE BY-PASS JUMPER Fletcher G. Graham, Natchitoches,.La. Application August 20, 1956, Serial No. 605,101

1 'Claim. Cl. 339-109 The present invention relates to hot line by-pass jumpers, and more particularly to such devices which can be used to by-pass switches, meters, and other electrical devices normally found on a high line pole.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a convenient completely safe by-pass connector for temporarily bridging an electrical component to permit its removal from a hot line without disrupting the circuit.

Another object of the invention is to provide a bridging connector of the class described above which can be operated remotely to avoid contact of the operator with the hot lines.

A further object of the invention is to provide a hot line connector of the class described above which is inexpensive to manufacture, easy and safe to use, and which will make a completely positive connection between the adjacent ends of the hot line.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent in the following specification when considered in the light of the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the invention partly broken away for convenience of illustration.

Figure 2 is'a view similar to Figure 1 with the arms shown in collapsed position.

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the invention shown in position on a hot line.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 1 with the connector shown in position on a hot line.

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical crosssection taken along the line 5-5 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 6 is a fragmentary vertical cross-section taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse crosssection taken along the line 77 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary enlarged vertical cross-section taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 9 is a fragmentary'enlarged vertical cross-section taken along the line 9-9 of Figure 4, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein like reference characters indicate like parts throughout the several figures, the reference numeral 20 indicates generally a hot line connector constructed in accordance with the invention.

The hot line connector 20 is adapted for use in electrical transmission circuits of the type utilizing vertically extending poles 21 having cross arms 22 secured thereto adjacent the upper end portions thereof. The cross arms 22 support electric transmission lines 23, 24 and 25 by means of insulator members 26, 27 and 28, respectively.

The transmission line 23 is continuous and extends from one cross arm 22 to the next cross arm 22 in each direction for the entire length of the system. The transmission line 24 terminates at the cross arm 22 and is electrically connected to a terminal 29 of an electrical component 30 carried by the pole 21. The transmission line 25 extending in the opposite direction from the cross arm 22 similarly terminates at the cross arm 22 and is electrically connected to a terminal 31 on the electrical component 30.

A circuit through the electrical transmission lines 24 and 25 is established in the electrical component 30 by any known means, such as circuit breakers, switches, etc., and the present invention contemplates the maintenance of the circuit between the electrical transmission lines 24 and 25 while a defective electrical component 30 is disconnected therefrom and another electrical component 30 connected in place.

The hot line by-pass' connector 20 comprises an elongated upright solid pole 32 formed of dielectric or insulating material such as wood or the like, and a pair of arms 33 and 34 formed of similar material. A hinge 35 pivotally connects one end of the arm 33 with the upper end portion of the pole 32, and a hinge 36 similarly connects the inner end of the arm 34 with the upper end portion ,of the pole 32 oppositely of the arm 33.

A screw eye 37 extends axially into the upper end of the pole 32 and has a loop eye portion 38 projecting upwardly therefrom. An operating line 39 has one end thereof looped about the arm 33 and is secured thereto by means of a knot 40. The operating line 39 passes through the eye 38 and hangs alongside of the pole 32 so that the free end 41 thereof is adjacent the hand of the operator of the device.

A second operating line 42 is looped about the arm 34 and secured thereon by means of a knot 43. The operating line 42 extends through the eye 38 and hangs suspended adjacent the pole 32 so that the lower end 44 thereof is adjacent the hand of the operator and the end 41 of the line 39.

Obviously, the. arm 33 Will fold with relation to the pole 32 when the operating line 39 is pulled by the operator, and the arm 34 will fold with relation to the pole 32 when the operating line 42 is pulled by the operator.

An electrical conductor cable 45 is connected to the top of the arm 33 by means of staple 46, as best seen in Figure 9, and has the mid-portion thereof secured to the upper end portion of the pole 32 by means of a tie 47. The conductor 45 is secured to the arm 34 by means of staples 46. The cable 45 is formed of flexible material and has an end portion 48 extending beyond the arm 33 and an opposite end portion 49 extending beyond the arm 34, as best seen in Figure 1.

A cable clamp 50 is secured to theend 48 of the cable 45 and an identical cable clamp 50' is secured to the end 49 of the conductor 45. The cable clamp 50 and the cable clamp 50' are of conventional construction and are of the type shown in detail in Figure 8 wherein a body 51 has a hook 52 extending therefrom to form one jaw of the cable clamp, and a second jaw 53 carried by a threaded shank 54 extending through the body 51. An eye 55 is secured to the lower end of the threaded shank 54 for engagement by a hook 56 on the upper end of a hot line pole 57, as shown in Figures 8 and 4.

The clamps 50 and 50 can be manipulated by the hot line pole 57 so as to have the hooks 52 thereof engaged over the transmission lines 24 and 25 whereupon the jaw 53 can be tightened onto the transmission lines 24 or 25 by turning the eye 55 with the hot line pole 57. After the clamps 50 and 50' are secured to the transmission lines 24 and 25, the electrical component 30 may be removed without breaking the circuit between the transmission lines 24 and 25.

" theconne'ctor 20 is collapsed for moving upwardly through the' multiple transmission lines normally "carried by the pole 21. When the connector 20 is in position, the arms 33 and 34 are released by releasing the operating lines 39 and 42 so that the clamps 50 and 50' can be connected .in-the'manner described above.

' High line poles are usually equipped with cross arms,

switches, transformers, etc. Due to the flexibility of the /present invention the device can be pushed up through these cross arms so as to by-pass the top wire. The invention is shoved with its own arms folded and then the arms can be opened up after they get past the lower Having thus described the preferred embodiment of the What is claimed is:

A hot line connector comprising Jan elongatedpole,

a'pa'ir of oppositely extending arms, means hingedly securing the-inner'en'ds bf said armstosaid pole at a point on said pole spaced substantially below'the upper end of said pole, an elongated conductor having opposite ends, a hot line clamp secured to each of said opposite ends of said conductor, means securing said conductor to said arms, an eye secured to the upper end of said pole, and flexible means secured at one end to each of said arms and extending through said eye with portions thereof depending from said eye in suspended relation adjacent the lower end portion of said pole whereby said arms may be collapsed against said pole by manual manipulation of said flexible means.

References Cited in the file of this patent "UNITED STATES PATENTS 985,127 Bayless Feb. 28, 1911 1,652,116 Gosslar Dec. 6, 1927 FOREIGN PATENTS 4,303 -'Great--Britain ".1 Feb. 20, 1912 

